Reflections through Cyberspace

The list of extra credits available for the next academic year 2005/2006 is out. I went through all the credits listed and I would like to choose e-commerce.

There are 2 e-commerce credits, one offered during 1st semester and the other during 2nd semester.

I’ve been wanting to choose these credits since last year but unfortunately I couldn’t. Let’s just hope that this year I won’t have a clash in my timetable, otherwise I will have to choose something else:(

Topics covered as part of e-commerce 1 (1st semester):

• What is e-commerce? Biz-to-consumer, Biz-to-biz
• History of e-commerce. It’s predecessors and similar ideas (EDI,EFT etc)
• The impact on the business world – the new economy and new business models
• Security in E-commerce – certificates, encryption, certification authorities
• Laws and e-commerce. Company laws around the world. Global implications.
• Public perception of e-commerce – unsecure, too new, the holy grail, conflicts
• Barriers to e-commerce – shipping , language, geography, logistics, currencies,
• Flavours and variations of e-commerce - Auction sites, Internet Malls, Oversotcks
• Payment options – cybercash, digital money, electronic wallets, credit cards
• Consumer Privacy issues – spam, opt-in mailing lists
• The companies behind e-commerce sites – Internet strartups, IPOs
• E-commerce commodities – books, software, financial products, music
• Facts and figures for e-commerce transactions around the world
• Case studies of successful and unsuccessful international e-commerce sites
• The Maltese Scenario:
• How can Maltese businesses benefit from embracing e-commerce
• Maltese e-commerce Laws – Data Protection Act, Computer Misuse Act
• Maltese e-commerce sites – failures or successes?
• E-Government – how is it affecting the public service and the Maltese citizens
• Maltese case studies of several e-commerce sites

Topics covered as part of e-commerce 2 (2nd semester):

• Opportunities that are turning to reality
• Present set-up and related problems
• The Internet as a truly global structure
• Issues related to an Electronic Commerce/Internet Commerce Startegy
• Overview of Latest Trends